The Plymouth City Council members held discussion on several additional appropriation requests during their meeting Monday night.
A public hearing was opened to hear comments on the requests. Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver said $30,000 was requested for the Unsafe Building Fund, $110,000 was requested for the Plymouth Municipal Airport, $140,000 was requested out of the 2016 TIF fund for the River Gate South contractor payment, $100,000 from the 2000 TIF tax fund for COVID relief, $60,000 for the Freedom Park swing set project, and $20,000 for phase 2 of the River Park Square.
Councilman Greg Compton commented that this is money requested that’s outside the budget and the council should look at the 2021 budget carefully to avoid this action.
It was explained that the $60,000 for the Freedom Park swings was donated funds and the action allows that money to be spent.
Plymouth Municipal Airport Manager Bill Sheley explained that the $110,000 will be used toward the parallel taxiway project that the FAA is likely to fund 100 percent next year due to the coronavirus.
“Part of this money that the airport is asking for is for the engineering work that we’re doing in advance so we can be set up to actually do the project quickly like we want to,” said Sheley. “There’s a good chance that we will see 100 percent funding next year when that comes through so we’ll be getting everything back instead of having to cover our five percent of a $1.5 million project. It’s a substantial amount of money we could very well be getting as well.”
As for the River Gate South additional appropriation, City Attorney Sean Surrisi said the city is waiting to pay the final bill until the punchlist items are complete to close out the project.
No comments were given by anyone other than the city officials.
Following the closure of the public hearing, the council members unanimously approved a resolution that approves the additional appropriation requests.
